Le Duel A appelé Friendship
by Red Rose Touga
Summary: ONE SHOT. Juri and Saionji FRIENDSHIP. Juri hates the Rose Bride and tries to get a certain green haired kendoka over her by challenging him to a duel, but does she have other motives? R&R!


**A/N: Here I go again, writing another one shot, even though I have an unfinished fanfic. This is my first attempt at SaionjiXJuri working from an idea from my friend Selenite1, mentioned on a Saionji list called Something Eternal. **

**The Title Translated is The Duel Called Friendship.**

**This is dedicated to the following authors:**

**Selenite1**

**Hinoto Nobukaze**

**Oneesan no Miroku Houshi**

**Utena Himemiya**

**You guys are great!**

**Title: Le Duel A appelé Friendship **

**Author: Red Rose Touga**

**Rating: PG-13**

**Warnings: Violence, Language**

**Pairing: Juri and Saionji-FRIENDSHIP**

**Summary: ONE SHOT. Juri and Saionji FRIENDSHIP. Juri hates the Rose Bride and tries to get a certain green haired kendo-ka over her by challenging him to a duel, but does she have other motives? R&R!**

**Le Duel A appelé Friendship**

**By: Red Rose Touga**

**I.**

Himemiya Anthy…

How I loathe her…

Who'd want something eternal from her anyway? Only a fool such as Kyouichi Saionji would dare to make such a statement. Upon loosing Himemiya to Tenjou in a duel, he's been nothing but trying to build himself up to win her back in a duel for the soul purpose of living under the delusion that she somehow is capable of loving him.

Hmpf…

How pathetic.

He, himself stated upon dueling Tenjou that the Rose Bride has no emotions, but yet he believes that she loves him. She was only doing as he wished by serving under the victor of the duel.

I know that even he, somewhere deep inside thinks this.

I sighed heavily to myself as I walk down the elaborate walkways of the prestigious school known as Ohtori Academy. The school of so many memories…

I gaze down at my locket, the soul reminder of everything I once had.

Shiori…

My head snaps quickly up upon hearing arguing near the green house. I look over in that direction and see none other then Tenjou, Saionji and Himemiya.

Figures.

Another triangle…

None of my business. . . but I stop and stare anyway. Guess I can't help but marvel at Tenjou's naivette, Kyouichi's delusion and stare in disgust at Himemiya's seemingly harmless look, cold smile and cruel intentions.

Why do I have a feeling that another duel will result of this?

After hearing the conversation and half surprised that no duel was scheduled, Saionji trudged towards me, clearing a pale of water with his arm. The can falling mercilessly upon the green grass, the life giving fluid of water flowing out over green stems.

He stopped in front of me, trying to look imposing, like I should move out of his way. I stared back at him, emotionless.

He sighed in irritation.

"You could say excuse me." I told him coldly.

"I really don't feel like putting up with this right now." Saionji told me, in his usual tone.

"I don't see why you try so hard for the Rose Bride." I said I an emotionless voice.

"It's our love which makes us destined to be together and find something eternal." He proclaimed.

The nerve.

"Well, I hope the something eternal you find shows you how much she doesn't love you. I've never heard such a pathetic bunch of mush in my life." I replied.

I don't even know why he tries; doesn't he know that Himemiya is just a witch in bride's clothing? She'll do nothing but trick him in the end anyway. If you ask me, the poor fool has it coming.

"As soon as I can win her back from Tenjou I'll-"

I cut him off. "You'll what? Make an ass of yourself as always."

"What?" He retorted.

His stupidity almost makes me feel sorry for him.

Almost.

"Are you deaf? Because you're certainly blind and stupid." I glared.

I can only stand so much of Saionji for one day and I think I got my daily quota. His insolence was beginning to grind on my last nerve. I have better things to do then listen to him moan and complain about that witch, Himemiya. I also refused to back down; I wasn't going to let him control me. I was no Rose Bride.

Across the garden, I was Tenjou and Himemiya looking at the both of us but I paid them no mind.

"How dare you say such degrading things to me!" He huffed. "Why do you have to insult me every time I fuck up?"

I sighed. "All I wanted was a nice question. I don't see why you can't just ask me to move. You could also go around. It wouldn't be that hard."

He looked unamused. "I will do no such thing, especially to an irritating woman like you."

"If you ask me, you're being pretty irritating yourself." I thought for a moment as he turned to walk around me. I caught his arm when he was half of the distance around me. He turned swiftly, still being defensive as always.

"What do you want, Arisugawa?"

"I have a proposition for you." I said simply.

"I don't care about your damn propositions. Just leave me alone." He shrugged me off. I glared.

"Alright then, you can be a coward about it. Guess I'll have to be more direct. I challenge you to a duel." I told him, not caring what End of the World of anyone else thought. Besides, it wouldn't mess with whatever End of the World was planning.

"For what reason?" He asked. "So you can best me, like everyone else."

His eyes shown with a sort of feeling that I never noticed in Kyouichi before. I blinked before answering, trying to figure out just what exactly he meant by that.

"Under strict conditions of course. The condition that you stop being so obsessive of Himemiya."

"Why do you care? Are you jealous or something?"

On the outside, I looked offended, but on the inside I questioned myself.

Was I jealous? I didn't want to admit it, but I suppose I was. I'd never admit that to him. She was the reason for so many things, she's manipulative and sinister but yet everyone wants her. Why is she is such high demand? Because there is believed to be something eternal granted to whoever makes it through a series of duels? Hmpf. Non sense!

"Why would I be jealous of someone like her?" I retorted, a small scowl present on the word "her".

He smiled an arrogant smile and closed his eyes, then turned his head to the side. My eyes narrowed. I recognized that look. He was going to say something smart ass.

"My dear Juri, there's no use in hiding it. It's evident at the mention of her." He gave me a look I couldn't place. He smiled, and his eyes held something foreign within their amethyst depths. He leaned in close to me. "I'll duel you, but if you loose, you have to tell me what you really think of her."

"I don't like double standards." I stated simply.

"Then you'd be the coward not to accept my challenge, wouldn't you? You know I could've said something far worse." The placid smile was still on his face.

He's taunting me.

I glared.

"Just get out of my face." I turned my head away, but it was caught by a large hand. I froze. What in the hell did he think he was doing?

"I'll get out of your face." He replied. Then spoke directly into my ear, causing me to freeze and feel a slight fluttering sensation; it was adrenaline. Pure and simple. I refuse it to be anything else.

"And maybe if you win, I will refuse to believe in something eternal. It's not as hard for me as you think it is."

I turned around swiftly, to say something to him about keeping his distance, but he was gone and all that was left was Tenjou and Himemiya, still staring at me, this time with bewildered looks on their faces.

I arched an eye brow. What was up with them? Why were they looking at me like I did something unbefitting?

I walked over to the water's edge on the small lake where I had tried to rid myself of the golden locket and my memories of Shiori; something caught my eye on the surface. It was my own reflection, but something was different about it. My cheeks held an almost unnoticeable blush to them. I looked angry with my body's foolish ways.

Damn him.

Now I can't loose, not that I plan on it anyway.

But why did I blush? I detest him! I shouldn't be feeling this way.

And yet…I can't help but feel at least a little sympathy for him. All of the members in the Seitokai have some deep hidden sorrow to an extent, no matter how they act on the outside and we each make our own defenses to it. I do notice how he is hardly present at meetings and I often wonder if there is some other reason then it's not important enough for him.

"Damn you Kyouichi, you're turning me soft." I said lowly to no one but myself and walked off.

I thought about the recent turn of events within the last two days and I came to a few conclusions regarding my insight on the kendo-ka known as Kyouichi Saionji. I am ready to face my opponent at the secret dueling grounds behind Ohtori Academy.

**II.**

We stood in the dueling grounds, staring at each other intently. And to think, it was all because he couldn't ask me to move out of his way properly…Or was it more then that…

"Well, are you ready?" He asked, pointing his sword at me.

"It's now or never." I told him, pointing the sword back.

We charged at each other, swords drawn and soon afterwards the entire arena was filled with the sounds of our swords clashing, each of us trying to pierce the other's rose, as it's doomed to repeat itself. I usually don't care to duel for such stupid reasoning and whatever was driving me to duel was pure impulse. How could I loose that much control? What's gotten into me?

Hmpf, I sound like him now. The two of us seemed pretty even as we broke apart, each staring at the other from across the arena, neither one broken a sweat.

"You're better then expected." I told him.

"You're not so bad yourself."

He charged to keep me on my toes and I blocked as expected. More clashes were heard as we each blocked and attacked from different angles, using different methods.

"We're not even dueling for the bride, this is really pointless."

"What?" I asked smally to only myself.

It was as if he struck a chord deep within me. I could feel my own anger rising at the very nerve of him to say that the bride was more important that I. What an outrage! He would pay for that.

I struck swiftly with all of my might. He tried to block but I knocked him down with the force of the blow, his blade vibrating ever so slightly as he sat on the floor, looking dumbfounded at the reverberating blade.

I stood above him, ready for whatever he had planned next.

He blinked. I think I actually rattled him a bit.

"I see that jealousy has made its way through." He commented with a victorious smile.

"I am not jealous." I replied. "I just find the Bride everything a woman shouldn't be."

"Then why were you so angry at my last statement?" he asked.

"Shut up and duel me." I told him, attempting to knock the rose off of his chest while he was sitting there, only to have it blocked as expected.

He jumped up and our blades began to struggle for a prize that was only honest emotion and like hell I'm going to loose to him and reveal what I've been hiding.

"So if it's not for her it's not worth fighting for?" I asked out of aggression.

A clash was made as he stopped, but I knew he was still paying attention.

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"You should learn not to be so obsessed with something that can be easily taken away."

"What did you say?" his eyes widened.

"She only likes you when she's with you because the Rose Bride only does what the engaged wants her to do. Think about it, Saionji. She doesn't really love you. You're just living in your own delusions."

"**It's not true!**" He shouted, jabbing at me faster then before.

Here he goes again, letting those emotions take a hold of him. And like always giving away his weakness. I feel something we hit my face. When he turned I saw it sparkling like a prism against the perfect blue sky. He was crying.

And that part of me still felt sympathy for him.

What a delusional fool. It's about time I put him out of his misery for good.

I knocked him to the ground once more. We swung our swords at the same time. His went flying across the hard, unforgiving floor and green rose petals flew into the air, coming back and hitting me in the face because of the direction of the wind. A green petal kissed my cheek and clung there, as several clung to my tightly curled hair.

He hung his head in defeat as his tears hit the emotionless floor.

"I won." I told him.

"But Juri…" He looked up and shock crossed his face.

I noticed his stare and bent down to his eye line. "What are you staring at?"

"There is no rose upon your breast."

"What?"

"We must have knocked them off at the same time."

We both looked over at the arena, where the sword laid, and an orange rose through the blade.

"What does this mean?" I asked, putting my hand over my barren breast.

He stood beside me.

"I guess we both have something to confess." He sighed with his head down, looking at his green petals upon the floor, a sight I'm sure he's used to.

"It's not the worst thing that could happen." I told him as his vision became white with a handkerchief I offered him.

"Juri?" He questioned as if I were offering him something grand.

""we can't fight forever, can we?" I asked, "Besides, aren't you sick of these duels. They do nothing but cause you to go to wits end and back."

He held the handkerchief and looked at it. "I suppose…"

"It's to dry your eyes on." I suggested.

"Thank you." He replied and I blinked.

Did Saionji just say thank you to me?

He wiped his eyes on the handkerchief and sat a hand on my shoulder.

"I've got an idea. " He replied.

I looked at him in silent question and he smiled. "Maybe it's best that we say nothing at all. Some things don't need to be said."

"I guess you're right." My voice sounded calmer then ever when around him. To tell the truth I didn't have as much discontent as I did before.

"I'm tired of trying to grasp something eternal. "He admitted. "I do agree with you."

"Finally you get it through your head." I tell him. Was it so hard to accept?

"I'll wash this and give it back to you. I doubt you want it with my sweat and tears all over it."

"No, it's fine." I told him.

There goes that sympathy again.

"Juri?"

"What is it?"

"We shouldn't fight about stupid shit anymore."

"What are you trying to say?"

"We might not exactly be friends, but perhaps we should learn to get along a little better then we are now."

"If you wanted a friend, all you had to do was ask." I told him with a smug smile.

"Huh?" he looked at me with fear in his eyes.

"This was an insignificant duel."

"I suppose it was."

There was a silence in the air between us.

"I don't believe in friendship." He finally said.

"Well, maybe you could start."

**THE END**

**A/N: Eh, couldn't pair them in a one shot, no matter how long I made it, I did manage to get them to be friends though. Hope you all enjoyed and hope I was in character. Please tell me how I did. I worked hard on this. **


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